Best network topology?

[Dave Raue]

My current system consists of a NAS media server with various other networked stuff (TV's, streaming devices, etc.). All are hardwired to a single 1Gb switch (let's call that the "hub"). I'm now wiring a new media room that will add at least 6 more hardwired components - TV, AVR, Nvidea Shield, Apple TV, 2 audio streamers, and probably more in the future. The temptation to daisychain another switch in the media room to the hub is probably obvious. Most IT folks would object to this however, and say to bite the bullet and just run all the cables directly to the hub. But I'm lazy, and so not wild about making 14 or more cable terminations, dealing with all the cables etc. If I can reasonably run just 1 cable from the hub to the room and use a switch it would be a lot easier..

Related to this is the network topology. The new room will have are both video and audio streamers. The former are playing content mostly from the NAS. The latter are pulling content directly from the internet, So, if I daisychained a switch for the media room, would it be better to connect the NAS to that? Maybe there'd be 1 less "bounce" between the NAS and video player?

Suggestions for the network topology would be welcome. I'm not enough of an IT guy to figure it out. [Please don't suggest reverting to WiFi for simplicity, it simply doesn't work as well as wired.] So many possibilities..... Comments welcome. Thanks and cheers,

 

[highfigh]

My current system consists of a NAS media server with various other networked stuff (TV's, streaming devices, etc.). All are hardwired to a single 1Gb switch (let's call that the "hub"). I'm now wiring a new media room that will add at least 6 more hardwired components - TV, AVR, Nvidea Shield, Apple TV, 2 audio streamers, and probably more in the future. The temptation to daisychain another switch in the media room to the hub is probably obvious. Most IT folks would object to this however, and say to bite the bullet and just run all the cables directly to the hub. But I'm lazy, and so not wild about making 14 or more cable terminations, dealing with all the cables etc. If I can reasonably run just 1 cable from the hub to the room and use a switch it would be a lot easier..

Related to this is the network topology. The new room will have are both video and audio streamers. The former are playing content mostly from the NAS. The latter are pulling content directly from the internet, So, if I daisychained a switch for the media room, would it be better to connect the NAS to that? Maybe there'd be 1 less "bounce" between the NAS and video player?

Suggestions for the network topology would be welcome. I'm not enough of an IT guy to figure it out. [Please don't suggest reverting to WiFi for simplicity, it simply doesn't work as well as wired.] So many possibilities..... Comments welcome. Thanks and cheers,

As long as the main switch can handle the traffic and you don't exceed three layers between that and the farthest devices, the network should operate well.

Switch to devices with one port used for connecting a second switch, to its devices with one port used to connect to another switch is three layers but the thing to remember, you wouldn't be using all of your devices operating at full demand, at all times.

What brands and models of network hardware are you using? Some, like some Luxul APs, state total throughput but that's not 'per port', it's THE TOTAL throughput and I found out about this the hard way after seeing bad performance at a customer's house. When I asked Luxul tech support, it was like the Steven Wright joke where he says he went to a convenience store and saw the owner locking it up.When he said "The sign says 'Open 24 hours' ", the owner said "Not in a row".

 

[Dave Raue]

As long as the main switch can handle the traffic and
1. you don't exceed three layers between that and the farthest devices, the network should operate well.

Switch to devices with one port used for connecting a second switch, to its devices with one port used to connect to another switch is three layers but the thing to remember,
2. you wouldn't be using all of your devices operating at full demand, at all times.

3. What brands and models of network hardware are you using? Some, like some Luxul APs, state total throughput but that's not 'per port', it's THE TOTAL throughput and I found out about this the hard way after seeing bad performance at a customer's house. When I asked Luxul tech support, it was like the Steven Wright joke where he says he went to a convenience store and saw the owner locking it up.When he said "The sign says 'Open 24 hours' ", the owner said "Not in a row".

Excellent thanks. In order...

1. Would never be more than 2 layers.
2. Correct!
3. 1GB unmanaged Netgear switches. Using an eero Pro 6 router which also feeds a couple other eero units for WiFi. I routinely get +100MB/s file transfer speeds across the wired network

Thoughts on connecting NAS to the hub or media room switch? Or doesn't matter? Thanks and cheers,

 

[highfigh]

Excellent thanks. In order...

1. Would never be more than 2 layers.
2. Correct!
3. 1GB unmanaged Netgear switches. Using an eero Pro 6 router which also feeds a couple other eero units for WiFi. I routinely get +100MB/s file transfer speeds across the wired network

Thoughts on connecting NAS to the hub or media room switch? Or doesn't matter? Thanks and cheers,

I would hard wire anything that can be, even if you use EERO- the second LAN port can be used for a switch and if the range from the first is good enough, the second wouldn't necessarily need to be hard wired.

I think I would wire the NAS to the first node and let the streaming software/schema sort out the details (like DLNA, brand-specific, etc).

 

[Dave Raue]

I would hard wire anything that can be, even if you use EERO- the second LAN port can be used for a switch and if the range from the first is good enough, the second wouldn't necessarily need to be hard wired.

I think I would wire the NAS to the first node and let the streaming software/schema sort out the details (like DLNA, brand-specific, etc).

Yes, fully agree. WiFi is for kids, phones and fashion/lifestyle audio stuff, like Sonos LOL. I got 3 EERO junits, all hardwired. Cheers,

 

[jinjuku]

My current system consists of a NAS media server with various other networked stuff (TV's, streaming devices, etc.). All are hardwired to a single 1Gb switch (let's call that the "hub"). I'm now wiring a new media room that will add at least 6 more hardwired components - TV, AVR, Nvidea Shield, Apple TV, 2 audio streamers, and probably more in the future. The temptation to daisychain another switch in the media room to the hub is probably obvious. Most IT folks would object to this however, and say to bite the bullet and just run all the cables directly to the hub. But I'm lazy, and so not wild about making 14 or more cable terminations, dealing with all the cables etc. If I can reasonably run just 1 cable from the hub to the room and use a switch it would be a lot easier..

Related to this is the network topology. The new room will have are both video and audio streamers. The former are playing content mostly from the NAS. The latter are pulling content directly from the internet, So, if I daisychained a switch for the media room, would it be better to connect the NAS to that? Maybe there'd be 1 less "bounce" between the NAS and video player?

Suggestions for the network topology would be welcome. I'm not enough of an IT guy to figure it out. [Please don't suggest reverting to WiFi for simplicity, it simply doesn't work as well as wired.] So many possibilities..... Comments welcome. Thanks and cheers,

The linkage you are talking about is typically called a trunk. It's a link that connects two switches to expand available ports.

CAT5e and above can do 10GBe so you should have an upgrade path bandwidth wise. So it's most likely your NAS and Firewall/router are hanging off a switch and a single, flat vlan (just something like 192.168.0.0-192.168.0.254).

Just put a switch in your media room and cable between them. You'll be fine. In enterprise/corporate you typically aggregate 24:1. So one uplink of the same speed to 24 ports of same speed.

Also how's Utah?

 

[jinjuku]

Excellent thanks. In order...

1. Would never be more than 2 layers.
2. Correct!
3. 1GB unmanaged Netgear switches. Using an eero Pro 6 router which also feeds a couple other eero units for WiFi. I routinely get +100MB/s file transfer speeds across the wired network

Thoughts on connecting NAS to the hub or media room switch? Or doesn't matter? Thanks and cheers,

When starting to talk about L2 diameter we don't even start manipulating spanning-tree timers until we hit 6 L2 hops out.

Just leave the NAS connected as it is. You'll be fine.

 

[Dave Raue]

You guys seem impressively knowledgeable. I'm betting you c an help me with my next question, but it's another network topic. I'll start a new thread. Cheers,